Sermon Tone Analysis

God's rescue plan for a rebellious people through Abraham's family

My message is not officially part of Rabbi Michael’s series but I do want examine the Torah portion this week because I believe the it has some important applications for our lives.

Our Torah portion is Toledot - Generations/Which can also be translated descendants or legacy

As we look at God’s rescue plan for a rebellious people through Abraham’s family in the Torah ....of all the Patriarchs - Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob....Isaac gets the least amount of airtime.

We know many of the details about Abraham and Jacob, but really only have one narrative in the Torah where Isaac is the main character in the story and that story is in this week’s Torah portion but it is frequently missed it because it is generally eclipsed by the story of Jacob and Esau.

We know many of the details about Abraham and Jacob, but really only have one narrative in the Torah where Isaac is the main character in the story and that story is in this week’s Torah portion but it is frequently missed it because it is generally eclipsed by the story of Jacob and Esau.

Let’s take and minute and recap the Torah portion:

After years of not being able to conceive Rebekah gives birth to twins

Esau sells his birthright to Jacob for some red stew

There is a famine and Isaac goes to Gerar

He settles there and tries to dig a bunch of wells

Esau marries

Isaac wants to bless Esau

Jacob pretends to be Esau and tricks his father

Jacob runs away because Esau wants to kill him

Before he leaves Isaac makes him promise not marry a girl from Canaan

Jacob goes to uncle Laban and on the way has a vision

Did you spot the Isaac story in the recap?

The one story of Isaac is the story of the wells.

The Isaac story in Gerar is a parallel story to the Abraham story in Gerar, but there is lesson that God wants us to learn by comparing the life of Isaac to the story of Abraham

Abraham and Isaac both dwell in Gerar

They both lie about their wives

They both have a confrontation with Abimelech

They both have a confrontation over wells

Abraham is blessed by Abimelch

Isaac is banished by Abimelch

But why the different reaction?

I believe as we look at the story of Isaac’s wells we will see an important lesson that God wants us to learn for our lives

Ha fok ba

Genesis 26:1-6

God tells Isaac to remain in the land as a sojourner and that he will be the recipient of the blessings promised to Abraham.

He is to carry on Abraham’s legacy

God tells Isaac to sojourn in the land

God confirms his covenant with Isaac

Prospering in the midst of famine

God’s provision is generally limited to our circumstances but never limited by our circumstances

God confirms his covenant with Isaac

Promises him: Land, family, and blessings as tools through which all the nations of the earth will be blessed.

Genesis 26:

Isaac prospered in the midst of famine

: 12-

Prospering in the midst of famine

God’s provision is generally limited to our circumstances but never limited by our circumstances

Genesis 26:

Contention

Genesis 26:

Quarreling

Genesis 26:

He moved away - He detached himself from possessions - He realized the blessings are tools not trophies

Genesis

He makes God’s name great rather than his name great

Genesis 26:

Genesis 2

Genesis 26